


Frontier

by misura



Category: Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President
Genre: Community: fic_on_demand, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-27
Updated: 2011-04-27
Packaged: 2017-10-18 17:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/191561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Albert in 2004.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frontier

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted June 2007

"Three periods as a Vice-President ... must be a new record," Kenneth says. It might be Al's imagination, but he thinks there's a question he can read in Kenneth's eyes. It's not a new question, not a question he hasn't asked himself a dozen times over the past week.

Last time, with Bill, there was no question of his not becoming a candidate, no question of his not trying to get one step higher than his present position. He lost that time though; and while Al might have been tempted to blame Bill and Ellery for withholding their support, for attaching strings to what any good president ought to give his second, he knows he's only got one person to thank for his defeat, and that person's sitting right in front of him.

Maybe Al wouldn't have done everything the way Kenneth has, these past four years; some things, to be sure, he'd have handled differently, but better? Al doesn't think he can say so with the complete and utter conviction that would make him want to face this man as a rival in this election.

"If I get a third period," Al replies, knowing he's shifting the topic of the conversation, the balance of power. It's not Kenneth's re-election he questions here; it's his own. There's a lot of ambitious democrats out there, and most of them must have contacted Kenneth by now, made him offers. All Al has got to offer is himself; he doesn't undersell himself, but he doesn't overestimate himself either.

Four years ago, Kenneth making him his running mate was a stroke of political genius, a way to unite the democrats. Things are different now. Al thinks he's done a good job; he's given it his best shot, but that doesn't mean anything. There are no debts of gratitude in politics, not for jobs well done, and not when there's a presidency at stake.

"The job's yours if you want it," Kenneth says. "I think we make a good team."

Al releases the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "We do, don't we?"

"Come over for dinner tonight, and we'll discuss our campaign." Kenneth rises, having said what he's come to say. "Patricia's been asking about you - she'd like to know if you plan on getting married any day soon. I should warn you, with Rachel's wedding coming up, she's in a bit of a match-making mood."

"Thanks for the invitation - and the warning." Al gets up as well, his smile as genuine as the warmth in his voice. "I'll distract her by sharing the latest gossip about Arthur."

Kenneth chuckles and shakes his head. "I'll see you this evening, then. Oh, and Al?"

"Yes?"

"Thank _you_ , too. For everything."


End file.
